If i was relying on gov. endorsed credentials my ds would be in ps. He isn't. Then I don't know why you so harshly critique the Institutes for which Pudewa is associated with. Every institution had roots and beginnings. That his are not endorsed by a particular educational committee or the government doesn't in any way indicate his offerings are less valuable. That's all I was trying to point out. I'm glad you found what works for you and your children. I hope the original post-er finds (or creates :)) what works best for hers. :) I think the best advice to the original post-er is 'if you don't like it, don't use it'! That is something I bet everyone here can agree with.

I am a professional writer and book author. Imitation is an excellent way to introduce a skill and hone it. In learning art, imitation helps students get form and symmetry down. After they learn the fundamentals, they can find their personal artisitc 'voice', often more easily because they have a framework in which to work and this actually provides freedom. :) In learning handwriting or spelling, copying words down aids the educational process and helps the brain retain information. The same is true of writing. I am a recent user of IEW and like the format for the grades for which I have used it-- 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th. I supplement with my own material (5 paragraph essay format for expository writing, creative writing assignments of my own design for that, writing real letters to the editor for practice in persuasion, etc. ) I don't think it's fair to call IEW 'plagiarism' because, well, it isn't. :) If someone has a problem with the worldview of any instructor , then he should not choose that instructor to educate his children. I wouldn't choose any program which made me uncomfortable. I happen to find the worldview/framework that IEW provides quite refreshing. I find IEW a solid program that produces excellent results, for what it purports to do. It cannot make your child a Pulizter prize author- your child has to have the drive, talent, skill, motivation, etc.. Different children learn best with different methods- I get that. But IEW can work great- but it's not the only program out there. If you don't like it and can't find something better, I suggest creating a program that works with your kids. I took what I liked about IEW and am cobbling together other things (as mentioned above). I don't need government endorsed 'credentials' from Andrew Pudewa or any other instructor. I need results. His program has provided that for my children and that's all that matters to me.

Hi Bizzymomof5! :) I have six daughters who are all language/dance/art oriented too! My oldest dd is an art/English major, with psychology and photography minors. My 16yo wants to be a graphic designer/animator, and four of the girls dance ballet- two in a preprofessional company, so I am with you!! :) Some of the girls have enjoyed the Apologia at the younger levels, but I keep coming back to Abeka for them. The texts are wonderful- informative, yet easy to understand and colorful. I find that with all this creative brain stuff going on, they can use the structure of a very organized text ....with pretty pictures :) I think it helps develop their logical thinking skills to read the sections (which are predicatable), and answer the questions daily. Quizzes on a regular basis- tests very expected. Anyway, that's what I'm using with them-- I hope you find what works best for your bunch!!! {{{}}}} Theresa

Thank you, Jann!! :grouphug:

Hi Tina- :) I give talks and presentations periodically - I hope this helps- People are interested in what makes you interesting or qualified (to speak on a certain topic, for example). Bulleted points work great- usually the person doing the introduction will pull out what he/she wants to highlight about you. If your topic is homeschooling and you have been doing it for 10 years you might start with that qualification. If you're addressing time management and you have a houseful of kids that you homeschool, you might want to start with that. If you're sharing your conversion story, that is the first thing you mention. An example of my bio is here: (on the left side) http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2011/07/making-your-mark/ Don't worry if you don't have a long list of things- just put on it what is interesting and relevant. If you have a college degree, you can include your major if it is related to what you are talking about- Including your hobbies help people relate to you- I usually offer everything and let the person who wants the bio cut to his/her desired length and content. Congratulations on being asked to speak! What is your topic?

And a link too please if you have one :)

Thank you, Pam and Jann. From where did you purchase the Lial text and supplemental material? From Pearson itself or another online resource? Thanks! T.

Thank you, Kai- I am looking at the Pearson's Lial Intermediate Algebra page right now. They have a "look inside" feature- The text looks very user-friendly. I like what I see! Thanks, EKS for the heads-up on the Foerester text. That's good to know- I would hate to spend the money and then regret the purchase. Sue, your concurring helps me feel even more confident in EKS's assessment- I am grateful for both your input- thank you! :)

I saw it listed in a Kolbe hs catalog and the Trig sections are skipped for non-honors- I wonder if the same is true for Abeka- I left a message yesterday asking for someone to call me regarding this. Have you done Algebra 2 yet, Kiana? I'd love to know what you used and if you liked it?

I am considering this text: Algebra & Trigonometry Functions and Applications, by Paul Foerster, Prentice Hall, Classics Edition or Abeka Algebra 2, but read that the latter is labeled 'honors'. I am currently looking into whether it can be adapted to be a regular text. Wondering your experience? Advice? PRos and cons? Thank you!

This time of year, and into the fall, I like to wear casual skirts (anywhere from just above to just below the knee) and cotton tees or other casual shirts with them--ballet slippers or sandals. The skirts range from floral to geometrical deisgns to jersey material. You can dress this up with bangle bracelets or down.... I switch to longer, (below the knee) skirts with flat boots in the winter. I will wear jeans, but prefer my feminine style of skirts. :)

Color makes science infinitely more interesting imho :)